More Reasons to Despise Politicians

When people insisted that there was no real difference between politicians, whichever party they belonged to, I would invariably defend Republicans as the lesser of the two evils. However, when I watched the GOP louts hop on Obama’s bandwagon during the lame duck session, supporting everything from the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to the passage of START, thereby doing all they could to nullify the mid-term elections, I understood those who cursed both parties.

Speaking of which, how much longer are we going to allow left-wingers to mislabel themselves as Independents? Bernie Sanders, Michael Bloomberg and Joe Lieberman, who all have an (I) after their names, haven’t had a thought independent of the DNC since they were in knee pants.

The one thing we need to keep in mind is that politicians, no matter what they say, are not heroic figures on a holy mission. Not even those who may represent our point of view. People pursue a career in politics because they want to become famous; garner endless perks; and, best of all, exist in a bubble where everyone’s life revolves around theirs and where, at no cost to themselves, they are kowtowed to by a bevy of sycophants who do everything for them — up to and including servicing them sexually and picking up their dry cleaning, and sometimes having to perform both onerous chores during the same afternoon.

I think it’s because it’s so easy to pull the wool over the eyes of their constituents that politicians, who know the sordid truth about themselves, despise the voters in much the same way that rock stars despise their adolescent fans.

When I saw John Kerry leading the successful Senate fight to pass START, it dawned on me once again just how sleazy our national leaders really are. Ted Kennedy was guilty of manslaughter; JFK and Bill Clinton humped everything that moved; Barney Frank had a male prostitution ring run out of his townhouse; Charley Rangel, after being censured on all counts by his House colleagues, went on TV and boasted that he hadn’t been found guilty of corruption. I’m only surprised that, while he ran his victory lap on Fox News, among other places, Charley didn’t bother pointing out that he hadn’t been found guilty of murder, treason or double parking.

In order to be fair and balanced, it should be acknowledged that some of those on the other side of the aisle are all hat and no cattle, as they say, when it comes to their own morality. For instance, Newt Gingrich, who isn’t exactly the picture of a serial adulterer, once carried on while his wife was in a cancer ward. After divorcing the wife and marrying the mistress, he cheated on her, got a divorce and is now married to number three. I have often wondered if guys who lack good looks get into politics just so their fame will attract women the way flames attract moths.

We shouldn’t forget Joe McCarthy, who not only lied about the number of missions he flew during World War II, but about the source of his “war” wound. It seems he actually received it during an initiation rite while crossing the Equator.

But, getting back to Sen. Kerry, here’s a horse-faced twit who lied about Richard Nixon ordering him into Cambodia (a month before Nixon even moved into the White House); then, taking a page out of Joe McCarthy’s playbook, lied about his alleged battle wounds; lied about tossing away his medals; and lied, no doubt, when he said he didn’t marry Teresa Heinz (the ketchup heiress) for her money. Still, he managed to convince 13 Republican senators to pass a nuclear arms treaty that helps Russia and hurts us.

Some people claim that liberals are just naturally more adept at spinning the news than conservatives, as if it were a gift, the equivalent of throwing a 98 mph fastball or hitting a major league curve. The sole reason that liberals have an advantage is because, as my friend Bernard Goldberg has been patiently pointing out over the past decade, the MSM widely circulates and gives credence to those on the Left, always ready and eager to pass off their baloney as filet mignon.

Speaking of Democrats, don’t be too surprised if the same folks who placed Jimmy Carter and Michael Moore in seats of honor at the 2000 national convention, don’t have Julian Assange and Bradley Manning front and center at Obama’s

About Burt Prelutsky

Burt Prelutsky, a very nice person once you get to know him, has been a humor columnist for the L.A. Times and a movie critic for Los Angeles magazine. As a freelancer, he has written for the New York Times, Washington Times, TV Guide, Modern Maturity, Emmy, Holiday, American Film, and Sports Illustrated.
For television, he has written for Dragnet, McMillan & Wife, MASH, Mary Tyler Moore, Rhoda, Bob Newhart, Family Ties, Dr. Quinn and Diagnosis Murder. In addition, he has written a batch of terrific TV movies. View Burt’s IMDB profile.
Talk about being well-rounded, he plays tennis and poker... and rarely cheats at either.
He lives in the San Fernando Valley, where he takes his marching orders from a wife named Yvonne and a dog named Angel.Author website: http://www.burtprelutsky.com/